The Schoolyard Habitat Program in the Northeast is, in some areas, focused on connecting urban youth with the natural environment. In Connecticut, USFWS partnered with Audubon Connecticut to reach urban school within the Long Island Sound Study Area. This partnership is jointly supported by the USFWS and the Long Island Sound Study, an EPA National Estuary Program focused on restoring and protecting the Sound.

The Partnership leverages all three organizations' strengths and technical expertise in areas like habitat restoration, wildlife conservation and environmental education. Schoolyard Habitat Projects in the Long Island Sound Study area help improve water quality by filtering pollution before it reaches the Sound. They provide critical stop-over habitat for wildlife and connect urban youth to their local watershed through habitat restoration and place-based education.

Short film on the Urban Wildlife Refuge Initiative in New Haven, CT featuring Schoolyard Habitats across the city.
Captions are provided automatically by YouTube. A more accurate caption track will be provided shortly.

Biologists with the USFWS and Audubon Connecticut work with students in New Haven, CT to plan habitat restoration work near their school grounds.